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As we wait anxiously for the Longest Offseason Ever to finally end, I'm very curious as to Wiz fans' expectations for this coming season. What would make this season an unquestioned success? What would make it an unmitigated, abject failure? In your personal view, must it be one or the other, or are there shades of gray.

Some things to consider. This is Year 1, of the Flip Era, and between the offseason acquisitions and the guys returning from injury, there has been a ton of rotation/roster turnover. Butler and Jamison are talking about "contending for a championship." I read recently that Haywood simply hoped to get out of the first round. Ernie keeps talking about "making some noise" in the postseason. I believe Flip has referenced title contention as well.

For me, I'd view winning 50 games as a successful regular season. That's not to say that anything below 50 equals failure, but I'd be unhappy with any less than 45 and would absolutely consider sub-.500 a disaster. As for the playoffs, I would see getting the the conference finals as big success. Winning one round and taking an elite team deep into a second round series would be tough, but acceptable to me. Anything below that = fail.

If we could reach the goals laid out above -- 50+ wins and the conference finals -- I think we'd be positioned to contend for a championship in the next couple years through organic improvement and one more Big Move.

What say you, my nerdy, socially inept brethren? What are your goals for the Wiz this year?

Like I said before... It's ECF or bust for me... I don't really care about regular season wins, but I think 50+ is definitely possible...

We have too much talent to not reach the ECF and I think with our offense alone we'll be able too reach it... We don't have the toughness to bang with the top teams in the East, but even with all their toughness, we've managed to beat them... We always play well against the Cavs and Celtics... The only team I don't want to see in the playoffs is the Magic...

So yeah...

If we meet the Cavs and lose, I'll be royally pissed... If it's the second round or ECF, I won't accept us losing to them again... And neither should the Wiz...

If we lose to the C's... I dunno, it depends... I'll be disappointed, not overly vexed or anything... Same with the Magic...

Check-Plus: >= 50 wins, >= 4th seed, conference finals or better.
This is a true success, as it'll prove that the roster we have put together is at the very least a dark horse contender. With another summer of improvements from the kids, who knows, maybe the next season we can go all the way.

Check: 45-49 wins, 5th seed, conference semi-finals.
I'll be apathetic, because this will feel like the final nail in the can't-get-over-the-hump coffin. I won't be upset, but I'll have a hard time getting psyched for the next season unless we make a big move or two.

Check-Minus: <= 44 wins, <= 6th seed, first round exit.
I'll very likely begin arguing for the blowing up of our team.

fishercob wrote:What say you, my nerdy, socially inept brethren? What are your goals for the Wiz this year?

Maybe it's not that this is "nerdy [and] socially inept," but just that it's (I hope) a little healthier than online porn, gambling, or shopping.

I think my measures for success are pretty close to your own. I've thought about measures where the team has failed to reach such goals and, as a result, makes trades that improve the team down the line when combined with the evolving games of Young, Blatche, and McGee.

The limping Arenas talk made me consider the team without him. Two years ago, an essentially Arenas-less team made the playoffs and took a very good Cleveland team to six games. This team without Arenas should be better, and I could see them making the playoffs again. If they somehow made it past the first round, that would to me be comparable to the full, healthy roster making it to the championship (I'd certainly prefer the latter). Either would exceed my expectations, but I wouldn't rule either out.

DaRealHibachi wrote:Like I said before... It's ECF or bust for me... I don't really care about regular season wins, but I think 50+ is definitely possible...

We have too much talent to not reach the ECF and I think with our offense alone we'll be able too reach it... We don't have the toughness to bang with the top teams in the East, but even with all their toughness, we've managed to beat them... We always play well against the Cavs and Celtics... The only team I don't want to see in the playoffs is the Magic...

So yeah...

If we meet the Cavs and lose, I'll be royally pissed... If it's the second round or ECF, I won't accept us losing to them again... And neither should the Wiz...

If we lose to the C's... I dunno, it depends... I'll be disappointed, not overly vexed or anything... Same with the Magic...

I pretty much agree with this just because we havent done anything but I honestly think we should win 55 if healthy and I think we should win the East. Ill settle for the ECF though but I think we should win. I also think if Gil is healthy then he is the league MVP and All Star Game MVP

I'm expecting a semi-slow start to the season as the new players get accustomed to each other so the actual regular season record isn't something I'm going to be paying that much attention to (so long as it gets us the 4th to 6th seed in the playoffs.

But by the time the season ends, we should be playing our best basketball and thus I expect us to at the very least make the 2nd round. For this season, I'd be satisfied with a 2nd round birth.

However, this is not to be confused with my expectations for next season which will raise accordingly. I am not one of those Wizards fans who is satisfied with the continuity of being a playoff team simply because of our previous trials and tribulations. Next year, it's ECF or bust hoping that EG will make the necessary moves to improve the roster. But as for right now, the 2nd round will suffice. That will make a successful season, in my opinion.

miller31time wrote:I'm expecting a semi-slow start to the season as the new players get accustomed to each other so the actual regular season record isn't something I'm going to be paying that much attention to (so long as it gets us the 4th to 6th seed in the playoffs.

But by the time the season ends, we should be playing our best basketball and thus I expect us to at the very least make the 2nd round. For this season, I'd be satisfied with a 2nd round birth.

However, this is not to be confused with my expectations for next season which will raise accordingly. I am not one of those Wizards fans who is satisfied with the continuity of being a playoff team simply because of our previous trials and tribulations. Next year, it's ECF or bust hoping that EG will make the necessary moves to improve the roster. But as for right now, the 2nd round will suffice. That will make a successful season, in my opinion.

This is about where I am too. To me success would be to get out of the first round and at least be competitive in the second round. Success would also be to improve our D so we are at least middle or the pack or higher and to see at least one of our young guys actually take a leap forward this year. In other words, I want to see Growth this year. If we have that this year, I'll set the bar higher next year.

As some one else said, if we are one and done in the playoffs this year, without improvement in D or growth in our young guys, this season will be a complete failure and grounds to make wholesale changes next year.

Playoff success. Enough first round exits. Don't care if we make it in as the third seed or the eighth seed. We've got to advance in the playoffs.

--Overall generally good health. Minimal dings and damages.

--Positive consistency from Andray Blatche, playing nearly every night up to his potential.

--Ditto elsewhere: Strong solid incremental development from all other youngsters, on offense and defense both. Players finding their role with the team and expanding their game within the role.

--Re-signing the best of Haywood, Dom, Miller, Foye, at reasonable contracts, to keep the team together, keep the positive core of a winning situation. Would be nice to keep players like Miller and Foye who have seen bad teams, willing to stick with a good bunch of competitors same way the upper echelon can recruit discount superstars desperate for a winning situation. As for Dom and Haywood, take the lesson of Larry Hughes, sometimes running after the money doesn't make you happy when you leave a situation where you are valued and the cats you run with are worth the time and effort.

--Playing with a justified and well deserved competitive arrogance. Not cocky, but enjoying the act of working out the vendettas that have been stored up by pent up frustrations. Showing you belong in the discussion of the best in the league.

I'm putting no number on my expectations for this year. What I want most is to lay the foundation for competitive strength for years to come. I love that we have guys like the 19-win crew of last year: disgusted and focused, furious to erase the bad memories of losing so badly. I love that we add a hungry veteran like Mike MiIler who has to atone for an off year and has finally joined a potentially winning team. I love that we add a good attitude veteran who has been a key player in a championship as an example/tutor for our position of greatest undeveloped talent (the frontcourt). We add a guy like Randy Foye who was crushed for not being quite as good as one of the top young talents in the league simply due to a draft day decision he had nothing to do with -- now being placed in a complementary role where his talents fit, and will be appreciated by a crowd starved for success.

I love that we add two basketball lifers who were forced to take a step back from the game they live for and re-evaluate their approach to the game, each told they were not quite good enough for this or that reason. Determined to snuff doubters with enjoyably grim efficiency. We add a coach and a superstar at the most important position on the floor, with the playbook designed to make maximum effect of that position.

I don't have a number because I don't care about early wins and losses while the team discovers itself. I want to see progress. I don't expect full vindication, this year, but I see things lining up, if we can keep most of this team together, for a prolonged period of excellence. The team has flaws, but they are enjoyable flaws, with room to improve depending on how players are used within the system and scheme. I expect to make the playoffs, and if healthy, once we're in, I expect the team will prove a pretty tough out for anyone in their way.

I expect to see a team playing some pretty damn good basketball. Alls I ask for is constant improvement, minimal setbacks. In that respect the future is wide open. Seems to me, with the team basically intact we are one defensive upgrade from contending for the title on a year to year basis. The league is strong right now, if the Wiz are in the conversation for best, that means we're watching some pretty good ball, and if we can keep it together, we're moving in the right direction.

Success = getting passed the 1st round!! Stay healthy, get at least one of the top 4 seeds and hopefully get passed the first round.

If by the end of the season we hear a certain someone say "Oh Danny, how'd you let 'em beat Lebron !?!" in reference to the wizards and the playoffs, I think it's fair to say the season's been a success.

Championship. Are you guys nuts? The goal each and every year is a championship, and if you're not aiming at a championship you do not belong in the league as a coach, gm, owner, or player.

Championship. That's the goal. For every team, for every owner, for every gm, for every coach, for every player.

The relevant question is what would e considered failure. Failure would be a first round exit. Losing to Cleveland in any playoff series would be a failure.

ZonkertheBrainless wrote:Championship. Are you guys nuts? The goal each and every year is a championship, and if you're not aiming at a championship you do not belong in the league as a coach, gm, owner, or player.

Championship. That's the goal. For every team, for every owner, for every gm, for every coach, for every player.

The relevant question is what would e considered failure. Failure would be a first round exit. Losing to Cleveland in any playoff series would be a failure.

Well, the thread is about success, not goals. I'd say that if you consider a first round exit failure, then that means you'd consider a successful season to be one in which we reach the second round.

evolushunize wrote:Success = getting passed the 1st round!! Stay healthy, get at least one of the top 4 seeds and hopefully get passed the first round.

That's pretty much it. Even being a 5 seed the team's probably going to face somebody like Atlanta or Toronto, who they might beat in round one without it being much of an upset.

What I really hope happens is the Wizards stay healthy and for once get some luck in the playoffs. Let somebody else upset Cleveland in the playoffs. That could pave the way for a conference finals or even NBA finals appearance.

Success is winning a championship. Less than that and its considered failure, regardless of whether we get out of the first round or not. If success for us is getting out of the first round or winning a game in the second round, then we have a disagreement on where the teams priorities lie.

2nd round playoffs this year- I think anything more than that is asking for too much.

The bigger question is, in the long run, what would we be satisfied with for the Ernie Grunfeld era of the Washington Wizards, when all is said and done? I would say, a trip to the NBA finals, like the Caps a decade ago, win or lose. Sure that sweep by the Red Wings was painful, but I think everyone is still proud of what those guys did.

The goal is the ring. Period.

Now what is success to me for this season. I think this team is as good as any team in the east. Does that mean that they play in the championship? Depends how the chips fall. I think the east will be tight, nobody running away with the division. I think they can win the SE division. I aint afraid of Orlando. Washington has too, too much offense not to compete with Orlando. We should score effortlessly, with teams finding it hard to get stops. On the other end, with the increased depth and the use of zones, the defense should be better. We have 6 people who can start at guard and some would start on a lot of teams. Our depth is not made up of mediocre players. They are better than that. They are not old either. Our weakness is in big man depth, but we have enough there because we do have people who can contribute in fouls. Our depth is also flexible in that most have the ability to play multiple positions with mainly Nick being limited to 1 position.

To make a long story short, 50 or bust. Success is this team earning the respect around the league and in the press that Cleveland, Orlando, Boston have. I want this team to be mentioned with them, not below them. Success is when the Rasheeds and McDyess's and the like, want to play for the Wizards on the cheap because they look like contenders. I want this team not being underrated by most everyone outside of the DC area while everybody else is overrated.

MJG wrote:

ZonkertheBrainless wrote:Championship. Are you guys nuts? The goal each and every year is a championship, and if you're not aiming at a championship you do not belong in the league as a coach, gm, owner, or player.

Championship. That's the goal. For every team, for every owner, for every gm, for every coach, for every player.

The relevant question is what would e considered failure. Failure would be a first round exit. Losing to Cleveland in any playoff series would be a failure.

Well, the thread is about success, not goals. I'd say that if you consider a first round exit failure, then that means you'd consider a successful season to be one in which we reach the second round.

Well that's the thing. I wouldn't really consider making it out of the first round a resounding success. Winning the Eastern Conference finals would be a success.

Showing up at the Eastern Conference finals but losing to the Cavs? Failure.

Success would be making me interested enough to watch every game to completion.

Failure would be me switching to O'Reilly's Factor in the middle of the second quarter (unless the number one seed in the East has already been clinched).

I think getting to the second round is success for this season. I think any play-off seed 5 or higher is success for the regular season. However a lower seed can definitely be redeemed by winning the first round series. Finishing in the regular season in the top 3 and losing in the first round would be a failure.

Assuming a successful season, the offseason should focus on retaining the players that made it a success and getting value in return for any extras.